Rocket's Rocket Fan
Well-known member
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First off it was not a good weekend for football if you are one of the teams i cheer for, so I really don't want to think about football yet. But anyway my father and I had a great time. The game was a fun game to watch. Yeah the outcome sucked, but I really think these are growing pains that most young teams go through. After the Harrison Smith penalty and 4th down, that gave Pitt a first down, the life seemed to be sucked out of the team
We need to get a running game going. The running was working late, but was nowhere to be found yearly on. I also noticed that in the overtimes when we motioned Kamara, who was in the slot, towards the line it was always, ALWAYS, a run, and you could see Pitts D relizing it and playing the run. My Dad kept saying that the play action was going to come but it never did, and I believe it would of worked.
Ok here was the call of the night. 4th and 8 and we fun a freakin Wide Recever Screen and gain 2 yards. This was right infront of us. I never saw JC change the play, so I think it was called by Haywood. WHY WOULD YOU RUN A SCREEN ON A 4TH AND 8 ON OUR 15 OR 20 WHATEVER IT WAS. Throw the ball passed the first down line and keep moving the ball.
JC IMO took a step back in progressing. He was look at his number one recever every time he dropped back. He had Rudolph open over the middle most of the time. Pitt was running a Tampa 2, where the safties would cover out side the hashes and the middle backer would drop back in between the two. So obviously they would take away the deep balls to Tate and Floyd.
There was a few short yard situations that I was there was noone lined up over the center. The D Tackles were lined up over the Gaurds, and all we had to do was run the QB sneak and we had an easy first down, but we didn't.
Now here is the part wherer I think we will get better as these young players will improve with more experience. The later the game went on and the closer Pitt got too taking the lead this team looked they didn't believe they could stop the bleeding. They didn't play to win. I think they played not too loose.
They looked great in the first half, but in the second half they were a whole different team.
Things that I think need to happen:
1) Jimmy needs to stop looking for the big play every pass. Its OK to check down and pick up 4 or 5 yards in the passing game.
2) Haywood needs to be for agressive in play calling. Play actions do not work when you can't run the ball, and stop being so predictable.
3) Limit the stupid penelties. I understand that these are young players and this will happen, but they need to learn from them and improve.
4) Limit the big plays on Defence.
I believe this team is on the right path. They are young and this game is a game that they can watch and see where they need to improve. I guess the bottom line that I got out of this game is that, hey this is still a pretty young team. If CW and company are the right guys for the job they will improve. I still see ND being a great time in the next couple of years. Don't worry ND fans things will get better.
Oh and I almost forgot my dad and I also had a nice conversation with EJ Banks. Seems like a great kid. I was impressed with his size. I can't wait to see what he does here at Notre Dame.
GO IRISH
We need to get a running game going. The running was working late, but was nowhere to be found yearly on. I also noticed that in the overtimes when we motioned Kamara, who was in the slot, towards the line it was always, ALWAYS, a run, and you could see Pitts D relizing it and playing the run. My Dad kept saying that the play action was going to come but it never did, and I believe it would of worked.
Ok here was the call of the night. 4th and 8 and we fun a freakin Wide Recever Screen and gain 2 yards. This was right infront of us. I never saw JC change the play, so I think it was called by Haywood. WHY WOULD YOU RUN A SCREEN ON A 4TH AND 8 ON OUR 15 OR 20 WHATEVER IT WAS. Throw the ball passed the first down line and keep moving the ball.
JC IMO took a step back in progressing. He was look at his number one recever every time he dropped back. He had Rudolph open over the middle most of the time. Pitt was running a Tampa 2, where the safties would cover out side the hashes and the middle backer would drop back in between the two. So obviously they would take away the deep balls to Tate and Floyd.
There was a few short yard situations that I was there was noone lined up over the center. The D Tackles were lined up over the Gaurds, and all we had to do was run the QB sneak and we had an easy first down, but we didn't.
Now here is the part wherer I think we will get better as these young players will improve with more experience. The later the game went on and the closer Pitt got too taking the lead this team looked they didn't believe they could stop the bleeding. They didn't play to win. I think they played not too loose.
They looked great in the first half, but in the second half they were a whole different team.
Things that I think need to happen:
1) Jimmy needs to stop looking for the big play every pass. Its OK to check down and pick up 4 or 5 yards in the passing game.
2) Haywood needs to be for agressive in play calling. Play actions do not work when you can't run the ball, and stop being so predictable.
3) Limit the stupid penelties. I understand that these are young players and this will happen, but they need to learn from them and improve.
4) Limit the big plays on Defence.
I believe this team is on the right path. They are young and this game is a game that they can watch and see where they need to improve. I guess the bottom line that I got out of this game is that, hey this is still a pretty young team. If CW and company are the right guys for the job they will improve. I still see ND being a great time in the next couple of years. Don't worry ND fans things will get better.
Oh and I almost forgot my dad and I also had a nice conversation with EJ Banks. Seems like a great kid. I was impressed with his size. I can't wait to see what he does here at Notre Dame.
GO IRISH
